Wednesday, August 29, 2012

F&SF - July Edition - Short Stories

I didn't really enjoy the Short Stories - again. But Ken Liu is coming up as a clear favourite of mine. His work is diverse and clever, without sacrificing the emotional side.

Hartmut's World by Albert E. Cowdrey

A wealthy man imports more than he bargained for when he has a European castle transported - brick by brick - to America. I hate reading accents. I didn't like it in Lorna Doone and I still don't. It doesn't work for me and neither did this short story.

The Woman Who Fooled Death Five Times by Eleanor Arnason

A folk tale told for an alien race. Saying at the end of the story that this doesn't have an emotional pay-off for humans because humans aren't the intended audience does not forgive it not having an emotional pay-off for the only sentient species who can read it. I believe strongly that stories have to reach me both emotionally and intellectuelly. If I don't get it in my gut, my head isn't interested. Personal preference, but that's where I stand.

A Natural History of Autumn by Jeffrey Ford

A chance meeting of a businessman and a hostess takes a nasty turn. Clever, but I didn't really care in the end.

Wizard by Michaele Jordon

An ordinary teen meets a handsome wizard - okay, it's a bit better than that sounds. But not by much. It feels like a first chapter in a type of book that there are already too many of. Honestly suprised to find it in F&SF.

Real Faces by Ken Liu

A woman doing an interview in a world only ever so slightly in the future. Definitely the best of the short stories in my opinion. It takes a few current trends, pushes them ever so slightly further and examines the results. Made sense on an emotional, psycological level; made me think; made me feel. Ten out of ten!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

F&SF - July Edition - the Long Pieces

The Novellas and Novelets were the stronger part of this edition, from my perspective. I only really loved one, but the rest I found engaging and they all reached the bar of me actually enjoying reading them.

On balance, though, there were too many wizard stories - across the long and short pieces - in this edition. Nothing against wizards, but none of these seemed to add that much. All these wizards came off as twee.

Novella: The Fullness of Time by Kate Wilhelm

Cat recruits Mercedes to help unravel the secrets of a mysterious family. I loved this story as you begin to suspect what's happening right before it happens and there is always another secret behind this. The structure and plotting of the story aid its thematic development - something which always works for me.

I read another story by Kate Wilhem that struck me - and has stayed with me - a few months ago: Bloodletting in the Mammoth Book of the End of the World. I need to track down more by this author!

Novelet: Wearaway and Flambeau by Matthew Hughes

A thief finds there are all sorts of things to be learned on the wrong side of a dangerous wizard. Entertaining and very readable. I enjoyed this and it had a clever ending.

Novelet: The Afflicted by Matthew Johnson

A nurse has decided to stay with her patients in a world where aging has gone badly wrong. A touching story that I enjoyed reading but it didn't leave a deep impression.

Novelet: Jack Shade in the Forest of Souls by Rachel Pollack

Jack Shade has to help a man who believes his wife strayed too far into a world she didn't really understand. Again, I enjoyed reading it and it had some clever moments, but no real emotional pay-off.